Wilson backs vision for native woodland
Friday, 24 April 2009Environment Minister Sammy Wilson today gave his backing to a new project to create one of the largest native woodlands in Northern Ireland.
The Minister planted the first tree in what will become a new 58 acre (23.5 hectare) woodland of native trees in Burntollet Wood in Co Londonderry.
The Woodland Trust initiative, supported by the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA), will develop a large native woodland area within 10 miles of Londonderry in the Faughan Valley.
Mr Wilson said: “We have the unenviable reputation of being one the least wooded areas of Europe.
“Creating more native woods, such as this wood in the Faughan Valley area, is enhancing our local biodiversity and will provide immense benefit for wildlife and people both now and in future generations.
“My Department and NIEA is pleased to support this wonderful initiative at Burntollet and to continue to back the Woodland Trust’s vision for a more wooded Northern Ireland.”
The planting is one of a number of woodland initiatives being undertaken by the Trust, supported by the Agency.
The Woodland Trust’s vision of recreating the extensive native woodlands that were once a feature of the Faughan Valley has been supported by a £353,500 grant from the Agency.
This helped the Trust fund with the acquisition of land in the Burntollet Valley and other woodlands in the wider Faughan Valley area.
Patrick Cregg, director of the Woodland Trust, said: "We are delighted to have received the backing of the Minister and his department. This acquisition brings a wonderful opportunity for both people and wildlife.
“We will be planting 36,000 native trees, which will buffer the nearby fragments of ancient woodland. The planting will link habitats together and provide an extended haunt for our precious wildlife. It's a venture which will form a key piece of a large landscape jigsaw."
The new woodland is adjacent to Ervey Wood – part of Ness Country Park managed by NIEA – from which it will be accessible.
Notes To Editors:
1. Native woodland is particularly important for native biodiversity. Four woodland habitat action plans have been published for oak woodland, mixed ash woodland, wet woodland and parkland .
. The Faughan Valley and surrounding areas were among the last remaining extensive native woodlands in Ireland. The word 'Derry' is from the Irish 'doire' meaning an oak grove or wood.
3. Native species dependent on woodland in the area include the red squirrel.
4. Northern Ireland is one of the least wooded regions in Europe with 6.4% woodland cover, compared to the European average of 44%. Furthermore, most of our woodland is coniferous, and our native woodland covers only 1.2% of the Northern Ireland landscape.
.5 The Woodland Trust's Ancient Woodland Inventory survey showed that our ancient woodland is even more scarce, covering only 0.08% of the landscape.
6. NIEA owns and manages the adjacent 56 hectare Ness Country Park, which includes two important long-established/ancient native woodlands in the area - Ervey Wood and Ness Wood.
7. Burntollet Wood is one of the Trust’s largest-ever land purchases in Northern Ireland. This was made possible by grant-aid support of £353,500 from Northern Ireland Environment Agency. Support was also received from Woodland Trust members and the wider public, including £150,000 from an anonymous Canadian tree enthusiast.
8. The Northern Ireland Environment Agency has provided substantial support for the Woodland Trust’s work in Northern Ireland in the past including the Tree for All Campaign, the Ancient Woodland Inventory and acquisition of nearby woodlands at Killaloo Wood and Oaks Wood.
. 9.Images of the event and woodlands can be made available if required.
10.For further media information, please contact the DOE Press Office on 028 9054 0003. Out of office hours please contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 07699 715440 and your call will be returned.
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